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The discussion goes back to 1967 to explain why the current news topic matters. Speaker 1 references Congressman Massey’s measure and says it should be investigated by Congress, implying it should have been done much earlier. Speaker 0 says that the matter should have been investigated 59 years ago, while noting that Israel claims the incident involved mistaken identity. Speaker 0 states that Admiral Isaac Kidd’s Board of Inquiry accepted the claim under orders by the JAS administration. Speaker 0 then describes the inquiry’s view that the attack involved violations of international law intended to prevent such a “so-called accident,” including the use of unmarked aircraft and “jamming or distrust frequencies,” which Speaker 0 ties to a historical irony involving Nazi wolf packs machine-gunning life rafts of refugees in World War II. Speaker 1 challenges the “mistaken identity” explanation by emphasizing the timeline: Speaker 1 says the Israelis “strapped the ship,” bombed it, and “hit 90,” which Speaker 1 equates to about 90 minutes—described as an hour and a half. Speaker 1 argues that 90 minutes does not sound like confusion for “a couple of minutes” leading to a few missiles being fired. Speaker 1 asks whether the vessel was flying the American flag or hiding it. Speaker 0 responds that the American flag had been shot down in the early air raid. Speaker 0 says Joe Meadors, the signalman, raised the flag again, and that it was shot down a second time, with the flagstaff destroyed. Speaker 0 adds that after that, Meadors retrieved the “holiday flag,” described as the largest flag aboard ship, and ran it up on the port signal arm.

In June 1967, during the Six-Day War, the USS Liberty, a lightly armed American spy ship, was attacked by Israeli jets and torpedo boats in international waters off the Egyptian coast. The attack involved napalm, rockets, cannon fire, and torpedoes. The ship was flying the American flag and had clear markings. Of the crew of nearly 300, 34 were killed and 172 injured. Real-time audio recorded by the Israeli military allegedly proves they knew they were attacking an American ship. Despite the Liberty's attempts to signal for help, its messages were initially jammed. The Sixth Fleet picked up the distress signal, but claims suggest American jets were recalled under presidential orders. Allegedly, there was a plan to sink the ship and kill all the crew, but a Russian ship witnessed the events, causing the operation to be aborted. The speaker does not blame Israel, claiming they were taking orders from globalists.

I pay my respects to USS Liberty survivors and those who believe Israel was behind the attack. While I don't defend Lyndon B. Johnson, suggesting he manipulated Israel for personal gain is insulting. Israeli pilots questioned the attack on the American ship. Israel's involvement in events like the Lavon Affair, USS Liberty, and 9/11 is concerning. It was a joint operation with US and Israeli agents. Israel continues to use false flag operations, sacrificing American lives for their wars. Blaming Johnson for manipulating Israel is disgusting and borderline treasonous. No serious historian would support this claim.

The speaker argues that instead of focusing on claims that Iran supports terrorism, people making those claims should “turn the mirror” on US-linked mass killings and the lack of accountability. They state they compiled a short list of “mass killings linked to US power” from the last 30–40 years, filtered for events involving at least 100 deaths in a single day, and add that the list would be much larger if expanded. They say each event was funded by US taxpayers and that no one was really held accountable. They also claim Iran has “never launched anything close” to the magnitude of terror on the US, while noting that reports are still coming in about Israel’s ongoing attacks on Lebanon (including evacuation orders issued overnight and reports of people buried in their homes). The speaker then focuses on an event from July 3, 1988: the downing of Iranian Air Flight 655 by the US Navy warship USS Vincennes. They describe it as a civilian plane flying from Bandar Abbas to Dubai with 290 people aboard, including 66 children. They claim the aircraft was following a normal commercial flight corridor over the Persian Gulf, presenting no threat, and broadcasting a civilian transponder signal while climbing normally. They say missiles tore the aircraft apart and that victims fell into the water. The speaker contrasts the US “official explanation” with what they say was contrary evidence. They describe the official account as an “oops” in which the US claimed it mistook the Airbus for an attacking Iranian F-14 fighter jet during a tense naval confrontation. They assert problems with the excuse, including that the flight was broadcasting a civilian transponder signal, was flying a known pattern, and that multiple military personnel onboard the Vincennes reportedly had data indicating it was a commercial civilian craft. They connect the incident to the US’s broader role in the Iran–Iraq War. They say the attack occurred during the same period as Operation Praying Mantis, described as the largest US naval combat operation since World War II, authorized by President Reagan to attack Iranian oil platforms. They also claim the US backed Iraq in order to topple Iran for decades, shifted alignment, and supported Saddam Hussein to launch an Iraqi war on Iran until the US decided it did not like him anymore and sought his removal. The speaker says the US did not apologize. They cite Reagan calling the shooting “proper defensive action,” and say Vice President Bush later said he would never apologize “for the United States of America” and would ignore “what the facts are.” They claim media condemnation was limited and that the UN did not condemn it, instead passing Security Council Resolution 616, describing states as “deeply distressed” and “gravely disturbed.” The speaker says Iran brought a case at the International Court of Justice, and the US settled in 1996 for 131.8 million plus two new Airbus aircraft. They argue this became part of Iranian cultural memory, including an Islamic Republic stamp memorializing it as an American attack on innocent civilians. The speaker then lists other incidents they say contributed to regional memory: the February 13, 1991 bombing of a shelter in Baghdad, where they claim hundreds were burned alive and many bodies were later found melted into walls; and the April 18, 1996 shelling of a UN compound in Qana, Lebanon, where they claim more than 100 civilians were killed and that later UN conclusions suggested deliberate shelling, while Israel disputed it. They add that Qana is described as being attacked again by Israel in April, including an overnight attack on the city that killed at least five and wounded dozens. They broaden to “mirror” arguments and accuse the US of creating or provoking “terror” narratives, citing claims about false flags such as 9/11 and Pearl Harbor, and saying the US is a perpetrator to support war. They reference discussions involving Victoria Nuland, Mike Pompeo, Lindsey Graham, and neocons, and include examples ranging from NATO operations (including Operation Gladio and bombings like Bologna) to claimed narratives about the Orlando nightclub shooting. The speaker ends by urging viewers to remember these histories when told “Iran is a terrorist state” or that Iran supports terror, and says another massacre is unfolding in Lebanon with residential and refugee camp bombing after evacuation orders.

In June 1967, the USS Liberty—an unarmed U.S. signals intelligence ship—was attacked while U.S. attention was focused on Vietnam. The ship had been struck by torpedoes and later by aircraft and boats, killing crew members and destroying or disabling sensitive electronic intelligence equipment. All personnel in one working space died except one survivor, while many others were killed or injured. The Liberty was known to the attackers, and survivors and veterans describe the attack as deliberate and deliberate actions as part of an effort to prevent the ship from restoring communications. The Liberty’s mission was to listen to electronic communications and send intelligence to the NSA. The ship’s deck held multiple antennas and it had communications analysts and translators. It operated under NSA control outside Washington and could monitor radio broadcasts across many frequencies. After Israel began the Six-Day War on June 5, 1967, the Liberty was ordered to head toward the Middle East, reportedly to monitor the rapidly worsening Arab-Israeli situation. Approaching the Sinai during the war, the crew repeatedly saw Israeli aircraft circling and believed that the ship was being recognized as American. On June 8, 1967, in clear visibility, officers on the bridge spotted three Mirage jets that approached at attack attitude. The jets fired rockets and missiles; portholes were blown out and the ship’s transmitting antennas were taken out. Decks were shredded; SOS attempts failed as frequencies were jammed. After the air attack, the Liberty was also attacked by napalm on the deck. Survivors reported an apparent intent to disable communications and keep personnel off deck. Following the air attack, the Liberty moved to the sea under orders it received and then encountered torpedo boat attacks. Men in the engine room expected the torpedoes to open the boiler and cause instant death. Torpedoes were repeatedly sighted as they approached, with one torpedo striking, lifting the ship and causing it to list. A survivor described surviving with burns, hearing damage, and the deaths of many men within a short distance. The Liberty’s SOS was picked up by the American Sixth Fleet about 500 miles away off Crete. Retaliation was ordered: nuclear-armed A-4 bombers were readied and aircraft were brought forward, with Cairo reportedly threatened. A subsequent recall occurred after messages passed to Washington and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara issued direct instructions to recall ready aircraft. The account includes disagreement about whether help could be sent and whether aircraft were launched and then recalled, describing a near-nuclear strike that was averted. Meanwhile, the Liberty was still being attacked by Israeli torpedo boats, including machine-gunning of areas connected to survivors’ attempts to reach life rafts. Survivors describe abandon-ship preparations and seeing torpedo boats methodically machine-gun a life raft that floated back. After the attack, diplomatic and political responses formed a pattern of acceptance of Israel’s explanation. An American embassy report to Washington stated the ship had been attacked in error. President Johnson was described as furious for the first 24 hours and personally inclined toward viewing the attack as intended, with records indicating belief that it was deliberate. Officially, however, Israel’s apologies and mistaken-identity explanation were accepted publicly, and the response was shaped by pressure not to escalate. Multiple accounts attribute parts of the event to misidentification and reconnaissance confusion, including claims that Israeli reconnaissance had identified the Liberty earlier in the day and that the ship was placed on Israeli maps, followed by later claims that it was erased. Israel’s account described errors involving radar speed interpretation and confusion between the Liberty and the Egyptian transport El Khuzair. Other testimony and claims in the transcript describe the attackers having specific orders to attack and proceeding even after questioning, with communications indicating an instruction to proceed with the attack after the aircraft was identified as American. A U.S. inquiry in Malta was led by Admiral Isaac Kidd, and sailors described the steering of the inquiry and restrictions on communication. One survivor stated his testimony about the captain’s condition, armor-piercing projectiles, and machine-gunning of life rafts was not recorded as expected. A separate review of the inquiry’s findings was said to have failed to support Kidd’s conclusions that the attack was in error. The transcript also states that the U.S. Navy refused to comment for decades and that secrecy and sworn silence were used. Survivors say the injury and death toll included 34 dead and multiple injured, with bodies removed only after the Liberty reached Malta and the dock was drained to reveal the full destruction. One survivor described the later burial of Alan Blue, the NSA linguist sent suddenly to join the ship after receiving orders. The transcript also includes claims about broader intelligence activity and a planned submarine-related operation involving a project described as “Cyanide,” allegedly connected to covert U.S.-Israeli efforts and discussed in secret committee minutes months before the war. This segment includes descriptions of alleged “disguised” reconnaissance efforts and sealed orders related to communications via submarine, alongside denials by those whose claims are discussed. In 1997, Captain William L. McGonigal broke his silence and called for Israel to acknowledge publicly that its armed forces had deliberately attacked the USS Liberty. The transcript includes additional comments that if the ship had sunk with all hands, blame would have fallen on Egypt and its Soviet backer, enabling U.S. intervention to support Israel. It states that McGonigal had received an open letter appeal to President Clinton shortly before his death. Overall, the transcript portrays the USS Liberty attack as a long-running controversy tied to military decisions, intelligence operations, and a secrecy-driven cover up, describing decades of campaigns by Liberty veterans for a full inquiry and justice, and asserting that official handling was shaped to protect relations with Israel and political interests within the United States.

On June 8, 1967, during the Six Day War, the USS Liberty, a state-of-the-art American signals intelligence ship patrolling international waters off the Egyptian coast, was attacked by Israeli jets and motor torpedo boats. The assault included napalm, rockets, cannon fire, and torpedoes. Of a crew nearing 300, 34 were killed and 172 injured, two-thirds of the crew. The ship, flying the U.S. flag and bearing the hull number of an American vessel, presented a visible American presence as the attack began. Real-time audio captured on board by the Israeli military reportedly shows that Israeli commanders knew they were attacking an American ship. The attack unfolded while the Sixth Fleet was hundreds of miles away, and the ship’s air cover and rescue planes did not reach it in time. The Liberty’s role was to intercept signals and gather intelligence; crewmembers described their work as intercepting communications and bouncing signals off the moon for the NSA, with translators on board and a capability to receive signals across bands. They stressed that the ship was a neutral intelligence platform, not targeted at Israelis. Leading up to the attack, the Liberty had arrived off the coast of Egypt with two days remaining in a broader regional conflict. Israel promised not to strike first, but the Israelis conducted reconnaissance overflights and radio jamming of distress and tactical frequencies during the assault, complicating rescue attempts. The crew noted a surprising sense of safety, aided by an American flag and “holiday colors,” and by the presence of Israeli surveillance aircraft that circled the ship earlier in the day. An Israeli reconnaissance plane later identified the Liberty as an American spy ship. As the attack commenced, the crew witnessed intense damage: a forward gun crew killed, life rafts machine-gunned, and the ship set ablaze from napalm that scorched the front of the vessel. The crew attempted to defend the ship with four .50-caliber guns, but the jets’ speed and missiles overwhelmed defenses. A torpedo strike at 02:35 p.m. produced a massive hole (39 feet by 24) and killed 25 sailors in one hit. Survivors recounted the chaos: flooded compartments, bodies, shrapnel, and a ship now listing severely. The crew grappled with fires, sinking water, and a scramble to evacuate wounded to decks and lifeboats, all while under continuing air and sea attack. With the attack by Israeli motor torpedo boats and gunfire, the ship’s air communications were jammed, leaving the Liberty cut off from the outside world. After the torpedo strike, the Israelis ordered the destruction of sensitive material aboard, a standard procedure during a capture or loss scenario. Crewmembers described destroying computer data and other material to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. The U.S. Sixth Fleet and American authorities were forced into a political crisis. The attack prompted immediate discussions at high levels in Washington, including President Lyndon Johnson. Documents later showed Johnson briefly informed the press that Israelis had attacked the ship, and declassified Israeli materials reveal that Israel contemplated threatening Johnson with “blood libel” if he pressed harder. The U.S. government pursued a policy of repair and concealment, avoiding public confrontation over Israel’s culpability. An official U.S. Navy Court of Inquiry exonerated the Israelis, and an Israeli internal report suggested that the events were a series of mistakes with no one at fault, a conclusion that was widely disputed by survivors and families. The incident catalyzed a long-running, complex relationship between the United States and Israel: military cooperation deepened, intelligence-sharing arrangements were intensified under programs like Stone Ruby, and American aid to Israel increased substantially. Compensation for victims and their families took years to settle. By 1980, the combined compensation and ship settlement totaled around $17 million, with the U.S. and Israel reaching a joint agreement, and the Liberty itself was sold for scrap. The episode left unresolved questions about war crimes and accountability, with survivors and families continuing to seek fuller acknowledgment of what happened and why it occurred.

On June 8, 1967, Israel attacked an American Navy ship, resulting in the deaths of 34 sailors and marines and injuries to 174 others. The crew felt safe, believing Israel was a strong ally. However, during the attack, they were caught off guard as their defenses were taken out. The assault lasted about 25 minutes, and despite being clearly identified as an American ship, the attack was dismissed as an accident. There are claims that the U.S. government may have orchestrated this to provoke a war, with suggestions that leaders conspired to use the incident to justify military action. The situation was precarious, with the potential for escalating into World War III.

A friend of the speaker, now deceased, conveyed a sequence of decisions and reactions related to military aircraft and orders. The friend said that after the aircraft were sent off, they were recalled by Washington from McNamara. Even before they hit Horizon, they were called back. After reconfiguring, another volley was sent up. Then Johnson got on the phone and said, you better, turn those g d planes around. The speaker quotes the claim that, “I don’t care if, every sailor on that ship gets hurt or whatever killed, but they left us out left us out there to die.” The speaker asserts that “that’s what our government wanted. That’s what Israel wanted.”

Flying the Star of David. "We thought they were coming there to help us. No. They were coming there to kill the rest of us and sink our ship." They fired five torpedoes at us, four missed by the grace of God. "One did hit, a little bit." Forward midships, 25 American sailors, marines, National Security Agency, CIA personnel were blown to bits in the blink of an eye. The torpedo lifted our ship out of the water, slammed it down, and stopped on the starboard side. We had "three life rafts left for a crew of 294 souls." They shot them all up; "When we put the life rafts over, they shot two out of the water and took one aboard their boat as a trophy of their kill. The Israelis did." They circled the ship, machine gunning anything that moved. They sent troop-carrying helicopters to finish this off, then left. "They couldn't sink us like they planned with the blessings of, our government, LBJ, from his government onto the Biden government, and all congresses in between have never lifted a finger to, to get an investigation." We've been hollering for fifty six years because they're afraid of fending their ally.

I pay my respects to the survivors of the USS Liberty and those who believe that Israel was responsible for the attack. However, suggesting that Lyndon Baines Johnson manipulated Israel into attacking the ship for personal gain is insulting and contrary to the facts. Israeli pilots themselves questioned the order to attack the American ship, as seen in public radio transcripts. It is wrong to accuse Johnson of manipulation. Moving on, there have been instances of Israeli involvement in events like the Lavon Affair, the USS Liberty incident, and 9/11. These incidents show a pattern of false flag operations where American lives are sacrificed for Israel's benefit. Accusing Johnson of manipulation is disrespectful and unfounded.

06/08/1967, the height of the six day war. The USS Liberty, an American spy ship, was attacked by Israeli jets and torpedo boats off Egypt; badly damaged, two thirds of its crew were dead or wounded. The Israeli government and The US naval attache dropped a brown paper sack on the deck in the fore part of the ship, weighted down with an orange, had a business card in it. It landed right next to the severed leg of one of the deck personnel. And the note said, do you have cashless? The attack instantly triggered a domestic political crisis; one solution suggested in American government circles was to sink the Liberty so journalists could not photograph it and inflame public opinion against the Israelis. The NSA rejected this idea with an impolite comment. The planes that they said they were sending to us never arrived. The next day, American ships arrived to take the injured and the dead off the Liberty. Back in Washington, the government ensured there was little information for the press while politics went on behind closed doors.

On June 8, 1967, Israel allegedly attacked the USS Liberty, an unarmed American naval ship in international waters. Israeli pilots identified the ship as American before the coordinated air and sea attack. Israeli pilots fired from above, and missile boats fired torpedoes from below. 34 American sailors were killed, and 174 were injured. One survivor claims the American government tried to cover up the event. The USS Liberty was allegedly a spy ship listening in on Israel's war plans, which Israel didn't like. According to the survivor, Mirage jets strafed the ship and dropped napalm, and Israeli torpedo boats fired five torpedoes, one of which hit. The torpedo hit in the communication spaces. The survivor believes the attack was intentional because the ship intercepted classified Israeli messages. He believes the Israeli government planned the attack, and the American government knows it.

A survivor from the USS Liberty recounts the 1967 attack by Israel in waters off the Sinai Peninsula. Thirty four of my crewmen were killed and a hundred and seventy one wounded. He says Mirage jets strafed the ship, napalm was dropped, and four Israeli torpedo boats circling the vessel fired five torpedoes total, with one hit. The ship sustained a hole in the side, about 50 feet by 30 feet. He notes that all men in the gun mounts were killed and a torpedo hit the communications spaces, leaving many wounded, supposedly by an accident. He says he intercepted messages that Israel had sent, some highly classified at the time, and that these were forwarded to the government. He asserts, "And I know the Israelis, this is my opinion, planned the attack on us, and they know it too. And I believe our government knows it too."

Some individuals expressed being "sick and tired" of Jews pushing for war against Muslim countries, claiming they have too much power and are willing to spend American blood and treasure to get their way. One person stated that Americans should be able to discuss US policy toward Israel, and whether they want to be involved in fighting Israel's wars. They added that Israel is of no particular strategic worth to the US, has no resources the US needs, and their association is a negative for the US. The bombing of the USS Liberty, which killed 34 and injured over 170 American crewmen, was also discussed. Some believe the attack was intentional, not an accident, and that Israel covered it up. One person claimed the Israelis massacred Egyptian prisoners of war because they wanted to move troops to the Syrian border and couldn't handle the prisoners. It's perceived that the USS Liberty was attacked because the Israelis thought the ship was intercepting information about the massacre. Jets launched from the USS Saratoga to aid the Liberty were recalled by McNamara and President Johnson, allegedly because Israel has too much money and controlling interests in the US government.

Multiple studies conducted by various US government agencies, including the Navy, Joint Chiefs of Staff, CIA, House, Senate, and NSA, have focused on the USS Liberty incident. Historian Richard Brownell states that these reports do not assign blame but highlight communication failures. However, the Liberty Veterans Association claims that the incident was not properly investigated. Secretary of State Dean Rusk expressed dissatisfaction with the Israeli explanation, and there is evidence suggesting that the attack was deliberate. The American Legion passed a resolution acknowledging that Israel knew the ship's identity, and the CIA director, the NSA director, and a congressional captain all support the notion that the attack was intentional. Despite this, the speaker questions why the incident, which occurred 52 years ago, remains a topic of obsession.

"On the USS Liberty that everyone's so afraid to talk about, clearly targeted on purpose by a country we're supporting, Israel." "And it's somehow shameful to say that." "During the twelve day war, such as it was with Iran, The US and Israel versus Iran, bombing on all sides." "But there are a bunch of Israeli defense force officers in the Pentagon that week." "And during that week, ask anyone who works at the Pentagon, they enraged American Pentagon staff by just barging into meetings, giving orders, making demands, and nobody did anything about it." "The more you allow that kind of deeply unhealthy behavior, the more you're going to get." "Because of the weakness of our leaders, we have incited predators in a foreign country to take advantage of us." "Oh, that's such an anti Israel thing." "It's not anti Israel at all." "And they're not even pretending."

In this exchange, Speaker 0 raises the issue of the USS Liberty attack in 1967, arguing that if truth matters, the Israeli government must be held accountable because the American flag was flying on that ship. Speaker 0 presses why, in a discussion of modern Israeli–American relations, Speaker 1 would deem the attack “irrelevant” to current ties. Speaker 1 responds that when assessing today’s relations, citing the 1967 attack as a basis for judgment is irrelevant—comparable to using evidence from World War II or 1776 to define present-day relations with Britain or Germany. He emphasizes that while the attack was horrible and tragic for those involved, and that Israel paid reparations, the actual naval record indicates the incident was a mistaken and tragic event. He notes that those who reference the USS Liberty often do so to suggest Israel deliberately harmed America, and asks if that is Speaker 0’s broader point. Speaker 0 reiterates that truth requires accountability from the Israeli government, given the American flag on the ship. Speaker 1 points to the naval investigations, stating that multiple investigations exist and that the Israeli military at the time was flying Mirage planes and the USS Liberty was operating off-grid. He explains that the Israeli forces mistook the ship for an Egyptian vessel and believed it was shelling Al-Arish, which was not true. He describes the sequence: the American flag was knocked down in the initial attack, the engagement lasted about ninety minutes, and once it became clear the vessel was American, the attack was halted and a ship was dispatched to assist the Liberty. He also notes there have been other unfortunate friendly-fire incidents in war, such as during the Gulf War when US forces killed British troops. Speaker 0 asks about the broader agenda behind raising the incident, suggesting that it is not limited to that specific event. Speaker 1 acknowledges the question but questions the motive and implies that it is not an appropriate basis for evaluating current U.S.–Israel relations. Speaker 0 asserts that there are ongoing problems in the relationship, but again emphasizes the six-decade-old incident as relevant to the discussion. Speaker 1 maintains that, in the same way that many histories exist, there are many countries and contexts, and reiterates that the question is not answered satisfactorily. The exchange ends with Speaker 1 indicating this will be the last question.

The audiotape, recorded in real time by the Israeli military during the assault and never broadcast before, includes a woman’s voice counting down the seconds. It is presented as proof that Israeli commanders knew they were attacking an American ship. When the attack began and help was needed, efforts were made to communicate with the Sixth Fleet. Both the distress frequencies and the tactical frequencies were jammed. The transcript states that jamming the tactical frequencies was acceptable, but jamming international distress frequencies violated international law, and that Israelis were jamming those distress frequencies. As a result, no signal could be obtained from the speaker’s side. The transcript then asks who would know the relevant frequencies other than an ally, and identifies the ally during the war as Israel in Egypt, stating that Israel would know and only Israel would know what the U.S. frequencies would be in this conflict. It describes internal Israeli military arguments about what should happen next and who should sink the Liberty. At eleven minutes past two, with Israeli jets running out of ammunition, pilots were instructed to fly down and confirm the identity of the ship. At twelve minutes past two, the Israeli control tower is said to have known for certain that the ship was American—the same ship Israeli forces first identified at 5:15 AM that morning and then buzzed during seven additional reconnaissance flights throughout the day. After the jets pulled out, the transcript states that three Israeli Navy motor torpedo boats were already on their way.

Some callers expressed concerns about Jewish influence pushing the US into wars against Muslim countries, suggesting Israel holds undue power. One caller stated Americans should be able to discuss US policy toward Israel, and whether they want to fight Israel's wars. He added that Israel is strategically worthless to the US and their association is a negative. Callers discussed the USS Liberty incident, where an American intelligence ship was attacked by Israeli forces in 1967, resulting in 34 deaths and 170 injuries. Survivors claim Israel was aware they were attacking an American ship, disputing claims of mistaken identity. Some believe the attack was intentional, possibly to conceal the massacre of Egyptian prisoners of war. It's claimed that US aircraft launched to aid the Liberty were recalled by McNamara and President Johnson, allegedly due to Israel's controlling influence in the US government.

The transcript discusses Operation Northwoods, a proposed scheme in the early 1960s by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, led by L. O. Lemonser, to conduct false flag operations as a pretext for invading Cuba and waging war with the Soviet Union. The plan included hijacking jets by remote control, crashing them, and blaming Cuba, along with numerous other terrorist attacks to be carried out under the document. One scenario proposed the destruction of a US naval vessel to be blamed on a foreign power as a pretext for war with an agreed enemy. The narrative then shifts to 1967, when President Lyndon Baines Johnson allegedly operationalized Northwoods during the Six Day War. During that conflict, the USS Liberty, a clearly marked US intelligence ship, was sent by Johnson to collect electronic intelligence in the Eastern Mediterranean, approximately 14 miles off the coast of Israel in international waters. Speaker 1 describes the attack on the USS Liberty: three torpedo boats approached from the starboard quarter at high speed in an apparent torpedo launch attitude. Israeli surveillance aircraft flew low over the ship, clearly identifying it as American. At 2 PM that afternoon, the USS Liberty was attacked by three Mirage III fighter-bombers. The Mirages jammed US signals, and were unmarked, the only unmarked aircraft in Israel's arsenal. The fighter-bombers strafed the ship with their cannons, dropped conventional munitions and napalm from bow to stern. After the Mirages, the ship was hit by a medium bomber, Desalit? miseries, carrying napalm and other munitions such as white phosphorus. The USS Liberty was then attacked by three Israeli torpedo boats bearing Israeli flags. The torpedo gunboats opened fire with high-caliber machine guns and launched torpedoes. A single torpedo struck the ship, creating a 30-foot exit hole on both sides. The torpedo boats then strafed life rafts in the water in international waters. Throughout the engagement, the USS Liberty repeatedly called the Sixth Fleet nearby for air support or rescue. Two aircraft carriers and the Mediterranean fleet responded, but they were recalled by the White House. Rear Admiral Geist, commanding the carriers in the Sixth Fleet, called Washington to confirm the recall. Secretary of Defense McNamara came on the line, and then President Johnson allegedly told Geist, “I want that goddamn ship going to the bottom. No help. Recall the wings.” The report asserts that American forces were told to stand down despite the attack. A Russian spy ship reportedly witnessed part of the attack. After three hours, the Israelis withdrew, allowing the damaged USS Liberty to limp to safety. The narrator cites interviews with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Thomas Moore, other admirals, and the head JAG officer of the Navy who allegedly was ordered to falsify reports and cover up what happened. An Israeli pilot is said to have publicly stated that he refused three times, over radio, to attack the ship, noting it was an American ship in international waters, but he was ordered to engage under threat of court-martial. The summary concludes with the claim that Johnson had personal control over the operation, positioning the ship in the Mediterranean and making a backroom deal with Israel to attack it and blame Egypt, aiming to draw the US into war and take over the Middle East. The captain and crew were allegedly told they would face life in prison or death if they disclosed what happened. Captain William L. McGonagall is said to have received the Congressional Medal of Honor in secret and was instructed not to reveal it.

The speakers claim the attack on their ship was not an accident, but a planned military operation by the Israelis. They assert the Israelis conducted reconnaissance missions beforehand, taking photographs to identify targets. According to the speakers, the attackers aimed to disable communication, sink the ship, and eliminate survivors. They say the aircraft were sent to make them incommunicado, torpedo boats to sink the ship, and helicopters to kill survivors. The speakers state the ship was clearly marked as American with flags and markings, and a pilot was recorded identifying it as such. They believe the attackers knew exactly what to hit, targeting specific personnel and using shrapnel to inflict maximum casualties.

In the exchange, the interviewer raises the question of why Ben labeled the 1967 USS Liberty attack as irrelevant to current Israeli-American relations, given that dozens of American servicemen were killed or wounded. Ben responds that focusing on a mistaken attack from 1967, and using it to define today’s Israel-U.S. relations, is irrelevant in the context of modern relations—comparing it to citing World War II or 1776 to define present ties with Britain or Germany. He acknowledges the attack was horrible and tragic for those involved, notes that the Israeli government paid reparations, and asserts that the actual naval record shows it was a mistaken attack. The interviewer presses for accountability, noting that the American flag was flying on the USS Liberty, which would seem to preclude misidentification. Ben reiterates the broader context: people who cite the Liberty often are not discussing the specifics of the incident, but are using it to suggest that Israel deliberately attacked an American ship to harm the United States. He questions whether that is the interviewer’s point and emphasizes a broader agenda. The interviewer insists on accountability and asks why the incident should be irrelevant to today’s relations. Ben maintains that the issue is not central to assessing current U.S.-Israel relations, arguing that the attack should be considered within its own time, and that today’s relations are shaped by a wide range of factors. He notes that there were multiple naval investigations, and that the Navy records show the Liberty was off its usual path, and that at the time, Israeli forces mistook it for an Egyptian ship while Mirage aircraft were deployed by the Israeli military. In the initial attack, the American flag was knocked down, and the assault continued for about ninety minutes; once the pilots realized it was an American ship, they reportedly called off the attack and sent a ship to assist the USS Liberty. The interviewer acknowledges that there have been various incidents and persistent concerns, but maintains that the question concerns American interests. Ben maintains his position that the broader agenda is central to the line of questioning, and questions the relevance of a six-decade-old attack as the number one issue in assessing current U.S.-Israel relations. The interviewer suggests that the audience includes people alive at the time, implying lasting relevance, while Ben calls for focusing on current relations rather than an old incident, noting the existence of a wide variety of historical contexts in 1967. The conversation ends with Ben indicating he will move to another point, signaling the interviewer is not addressing his core question.

The speaker expresses concerns about American aircraft carriers, referencing the USS Liberty and the Israeli government. They mention “allegedly, the Israeli Air Force jet fighter aircraft… they did end up paying out the American government.” The speaker worries about a false flag operation: “a missile comes out of Gaza… hits one of our aircraft carriers, but it was actually Israeli missile.” They say, “we should get out of there.” In response, they remark, “It doesn’t matter where the missile comes from,” and then react, “that’s weird, Holy shit.”

The speaker states that the attack on Liberty was not a pure case of mistaken identity and was not pure error. They argue that it’s time for the state of Israel and the United States government to provide the crew members of the Liberty and the American people with the facts of what happened and why it came about that the Liberty was their child thirty years ago to ready.

I served on the USS Liberty in 1967 when it was attacked by Israeli forces. 34 crewmen died, 171 were wounded. I believe the attack was planned, not accidental. The Israelis strafed us with jets and torpedo boats. Our ship had 50 caliber machine guns, but many men were killed. The torpedo hit the communication spaces. I think Israel and our government knew about the attack. I remember the fallen crewmen every Memorial Day.